Line-spacing mechanism for type-writing machines.



- E. G. LATTA.

I LINE SPAGING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1906. 926,126. Patented June 29.1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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E. G. LATTA. LINE SPAGING ME-" IIANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1906. 926, 126.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

Patented June 29,- 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMII G. LATTA, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK ASSIGNOR OF'ONE-HALF TO HARVEY A. MOYER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

LINE-SPACING imcnaivrs'i c son TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMIT G. LATTA,,EL- citizen of the United States,-residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Line-Spacing Mechanisms for Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to line spacing or platen rotating mechanisms for typewriting machines.

The rimary objects of the invention are to pro uce a desirable mechanism for turning the laten to feed the pa er and for setting bac the carriage from either end of the carriage; to make the same of simple and economical construction; and to arrange the parts in close compact relation so that they will not project from the carriage in an objectionable manner.

Other objects of the invention are to provide guards to, prevent accidental contact of the operators hands or clothing with the line spacin mechanism; the provision of a platen bra e and means actuated by the me space mechanism for releasing the platen detent to free the platen and for appliying the brake to hold the platen frictiona1 y in an position to which it may he turned and to combine the carriage releasing devices with the line spacing mechanism in a .novel manner, whereby the latter sup" ort and and the former.

Sti 1 another object of the invention is to improve the .line spacing mechanisms for typewriting machines in the respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

- In the accomanying drawings, consisting of two sheets: igure 1 i's a-broken plan view of a typewriter carriage provided with line spacing mechanism embodying the invention. Fi 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of t e left-hand end thereof. 7 Fig 3 is l an elevation, partly in section,of the righthand end thereof.

I Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation thereof in line 4-4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a broken plan view, partly in section, of the connecting means for the line space levers at oppositeends of the carriage. Fig. 6is an end sectional elevation of the platen and line'spacing mechanism. Fig. 7 is asectional elevation of the shaft ofthe line space leverand the connected parts. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view ofthe line space lever, itsbearing bracket and con- Sp ecification of Letters Patent. Application filed lay 1t, 1906. Serial No. 317,507.

Patented June 29, 1909.

.- nected parts. Fig. 9 is a detached pers ective view of one of the guard plates. 10 is a detached perspective view of the bearing bracket for the auxiliary line space lever. Fig. 11 is a detached perspective View of the pawl lifter and bearing sleeve to which it is attached. Fig; 12 is a detached pers ective view of the adjusting arm for the paw lifter, showing the inside thereof.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A, Fig. 1, represents the carriage of a'typcwriting machine and B the rotatable platen.

journaled thereon. The carriagepreferably consists. of vertical end plates (L a rigidly connected at the lower portions by a skeleton frame or casting a and a front bar a. The carriage is mounted to travel horizontally in the usual manner on suitable guide bearings, not shown. The platen B may be of the usual or any suitable construction. As shown, it is secured to a platen shaft 7) which is provided at its ends with the usual linger wheels .b' for turning the platen, and is reinovahly. .journaled on the carriage. Preferably bearing sleeves C C, Figs. 4 and 11, surround the shaft between the hubs of the end plates I)" b of the platen and the hubs of the finger wheels. These bearing sleeves are cylindrical and rest in upwardly opening slots or seats 0, Figs. 2 and 3, in the end plates of the car'- riage, and each sleeve is provided with spaced flanges or collars c which bear against the opposite faces of the end plate. When the bearing sleeves are in position in their seats, the flanges fit closely'against the opposite faces'of the end plates to hold the sleeves and platen from longitudinal movement and to insure the proper alinement of the sleeves.

D D represent guardplates arrangedabove the platen shaft atthe opposite ends of the carriage for releasably ho ding the bearing sleeves for the platen shaft in their seats in the end plates. These guard plates DD are pivoted at their rear'ends by rivets d, or in any other suitable manner, to the rear u per portions of the carriage end plates an are provided with depending legs cl, the lower ends of Whic bear on tliebearing sleeves, between the co lars thereof, to hold the sleeves in their. seats. The guard plates are releasably held ii. the position shown in Figs. 2 and ends which are adapted to snap into holes'd,

* preferably in upwardly projecting front lugs or portions on the carriage end, plates. The teats are releasably retained in the holes'by the resiliency ,of the guard plates D D, which are made of spring metal. To permit the removal of the platen the front ends of the guard plates can be sprung inwardly to disengage the teats from the holes and then swung upwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the platen with its shaft and bearing sleeves can be lifted off of the carriage. 'lhe central part of the guard plate I) for the left-hand end of the carriage is preferably bent or offset inwardly, see Figs. 1, 4

and 9, whereby the plate overhangs portionsof the line spacing mechanism, to be delfcri-hed, which are located between the lefthand end of the carriage and the adjacent end of the platen, and serves as a guard to prevent the contact of the hands or garments of the operator with the line spacing mechanism; The guard plate at the right-hand end of the carria e is also preferably similarly offset inwardly. The upper edges of the guard plates are preferably horizontal and located sli htly above the top of the platen and thus lncidentally form supports for a ruler or other flat strip to be used as a shelf or su port for the sheets in making erasures.

E E represent two line space levers located at the opposite ends of the carriage, each lever having a vertical shaft or pivot c journaled in suitable bearings on the outside of the carriage end plates. The lever E at the leftehand end of the carriage will be hereinafter referred to as the line s ace lever, and

crumedat its lower end, see

the other one E as the auxi iary line space lever The bearings for the line space levers a re preferably formed by two outwardly pro j voting lugs e on brackets e e which are riveted to the outer faces of the end plates of the carriage. The bearing brackets e e are of ('liflerent shape, see Figs. Sand 10, the one e for the line space lever having a third outwardly projecting bearing lug e for a detent lever to be herein after described. An arm F fixed to the pivot of the line space lever projects through a hole f in the adjacent and plate, and is connected at its inner end. by a link "to an upright pawl lever f whichis locatedbctween the end plate a and the adjacent end of the platen. lhe awl lever is fuligs. 4 and6, in any suitable way to a stud f projecting inwardly from the end plate a and extends upwardly nearly to the top of the platen, being curved to pass the platen shaft A .pawl f pivoted to the upper end of the pawl lever extends forwardly therefrom and is provided at its front end with a laterally projecting toe f 5 ,7 adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel f secured to the adjacent end plate of the platen in the usual or any snitab e man ner. The pawl lever and hnc space lever are returned to the normal position after operathe pawl in an upright position,

tion. by any suitable spring, such as a coil spring f surrounding the pivotstud for the pawl lever. A spring f 3 1s secured to the pawl lever and bears at its free u er portion against a pin f projecting laterallFy from the depending heelon rear end of the pawl. This spring, which normally presses the toe of the pawl downwardly against the teeth of the ratchet wheel, is provided at its upper end with a bend or notch f adapted to receive the pin f on the heel of the pawl and hold shown by broken lines in Fig. 6 when the pawl is raised to this position to permit the removal of the platen from the carriage. By swingin the inc space lever E to the right the pawl ever and pawl will be swung rearwardly and will turn the ratchetwheel and platen.- W hen released, the spring f 7 for the pawl lever will restore the parts to their normal position.

In order to prevent the platen from'overrunning, without strain on the pawl, and rovide a stop to limit the movement of the line space and pawl levers, and at the same time avoid parts projecting from the uper portion of the platen, the arm F of the ine s ace lever E is provided with a projection G, r igs. 6 and 8, which strikes the ratchet wheel at the instant it has completed its movement and positively holds it against further movement. The stop G moves slower than the teeth of the ratchet wheel and it is adjusted to strike only the outer portion of one tooth so that the preceding tooth will not interfere with thestop as it moves into holding position;

The line space levers at the opposite ends of the carnage are 0 eratively connected preferably asfollows: ll zontally connecting rod which is arranged below the platen and is pivoted at its righthand end to the end of an arm h fixed to the lower end of the pivot of the auxiliary line space lover. The other end of th'econnecting rod is pivoted to the front end of the arm at of a detent lever I, Figs; 2, 5, 6 and 8, which is preferably pivoted at z" to the lug c of the b'earingbracket e for the line space lever'D. The arm '11 of this lever-extends forwardly and downwardly from its pivot, and the lever has another arm 1' whlch extends inwardly represents a horithrough an opening in the carriage end plate By this construction the line space lever E' can be swung to the right to rotate the platen without moving the connecting rod and auxiliary line s ace lever E while the line space lever E Wi l oscillate and will actuate the pawl lever to rotate the platen through the connecting rod and arm 76 when the auxiliary for. actuating line space lever E is moved to the right. -The auxiliary line space lever E" can be rection.

moved to the left without operating the other line space lever E for actuating a platen brake to be described. The auxiliary line space lever E is preferably held in a normal central position by a sprin Z, Fig. 3, which surrounds the pivot thereo and bears at its opposite ends against the carriage end plate a at 0 posite sides of the pivot. This spring is iixe to the shaft at its middle portion, for

that the line space lever E is longer than the auxiliary line space lever E, the object being to provide a long lever for those who prefer the ever to extend well forward, and a short lever for those who prefer that length, and

also to provide in one machine a long lever that can be used to feed the paper without setting the carriage back and a short lever that can be used to set the carriage back without feeding the paper. To make this clear, it should be understood that with a carriage driving s ring of the usual tension the long lever, wil operate the awl to turn the platen before overcoming the resistance of the carriage driving spring, while the short lever will move the carriage before it turns the platen.

But by pressure on the long le ver after the platen is turned the carriage can be set back, and similarly the short lever can be made to turn the platen after setting back the carriage. Either lever ma be used to both feed the paper for a newline and set back the carriage while either function can be performed singly by the proper use of the intended lever.

The line space levers E E can be inter changed for an operator desiring the long lever at the ri ht-hand end of the carriage. In changing t e levers the arms'F and 7c are detached from the line space lever and applied to the auxiliary line s ace lever and t e arm h of the latter appliec to the former lee right-hand end of the carriage, and the pivot shaft of the line space lever is preferably 'rovided with a hole 1 Fig. 7, to receive the camping screw 1 for the spring Z.

M, Figs. 1 and 6, represents a detent spring which is fixed at its upper end to an ear m projecting inwardly from the left-hand guard The spring I for the auxiliary line space lever is of course used with the lever at t plate and the axis of the platen, it acts to hold the guard plate down in its normal position, and when the guard-plate is raised for removing the platen, as above described, the detent spring will be flexed until the roller passes the line mentioned and will then serve to hold the guard plate up, but it does not prevent the ready movement of the guard late. This spring assists the snap fastener, efore described, in securing the latter in its normal position. The upwardly projecting arm '5 of the detent lever I stands just in front of the projecting pintle of the detent roller, so that when said lever arm is oscillated rearwardly the detent roller will be moved out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. 1

N, Figs. 3 and 4, represents a brake lever, preferably consisting of a rectangular frame, which is pivoted centrally to a spring a secured-by a screw, or otherwise, to the righthand end plate a of the carriage. The inner end of the brake lever is preferably beveled and enters a beveled or V-shaped internal groove in an outwardly projecting annular flange on the adjacent end plate b of the platen, and the other end of the brake lever is located over the -adjacent end of the connecting rod H. The connecting rod is provided beneath the outer end of the brake lever with an inclined face a and a notch 11- at the upper end of the incline. When it is desired to apply the brake, the auxiliary line space lever E is moved to the left, that is in the opposite direction from which it is moved in line spacing. This moves the connecting rod H to the right, thereby sliding the inclined face a beneath the outer end of the brake lever and forcing the latter upwardly.

-As the inner end of the lever bears on the grooved flange of the platen it cannot descend and the supporting spring will be such time, the brake does not cause appreci-r able friction on the platen. The parts are so N ormally the ro ortioned'that when the outer end of the movement of the connecting rod to the right will swing the detent lover I on its pivot and its upwardly projecting arm will move the detent M out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, so that the turning of the platen will be opposed only by the friction brake. When the brake is released by the return of the auxiliary line space lever E and the connecting rod to the normal position, the detent lever is also swung hack to again permit the engagement of the detent with the ratchet wheel. 0, Fig. 4, represents a pin or pro.- j ection on the right-hand end of the connecting rod H- adapted .to strike the outer end of the brake lever N just before the completion of the line space movement of the connecting rod, to swing the brake up so as not to interiere with the platen in removing and replacmg it. I

The auxiliary line space lever E is used to effect the line space movement of the platen,

to apply the brake N and remove the detent' upper edge on which a rounded projection on the front end of the pawl is adapted to ride. A spring arm p is also fixed to the inner end of the bearing sleeve and extends outwardly and upwardly, having at its upper end a tooth p, Fig. 12, adapted to snap into either of three notches p Figs. 2 and 9, in the adjacent guard plate D. The spring arm also.

has a projecting'push button p The pawl lifter will hold the pawl 01? of the ratchet teeth until the pawl clears the pawl lifter, and by adjusting the pawl lifter toward or from the pawl lever the effective movement of the pawl is lessened or increased. Thus by engaging the tooth of the spring-arm p in the first, second or third notch p the pawl will act to turn the platen for single, double or triple line spaces. The pawl lifter is readily adjusted by pressing inwardly on the push button 39 to disengage the spring arm and then swinging the arm until its tooth snaps into'the desired holding notch. By this construction the line space adjusting device is located in favorable position for use, and entirely inside of the vertical plane of the carriage end plate, see Fig. 4, and does not project beyond the circumference oi-the platen. It is out of the way and is easy and positive in action.

Attention is called to the fact that the described construction of the line space mechanism permits the use of paper as wide as the distance between the carriage end plates. The paper passes under the rear parts of the guard plates D D, detent M, pawl lever and arm is of the line space lever, and t e brake N, and then upward in front of the ofiset central parts of the guard plates and this is accomplished with all parts of the line i space mechanism except the line space levers and the arms at their. lower ends inside of the carriage end plates, thus leaving more than the usual'room for grasping the platen finger Wheels.

Q, Fig. 1, represents the carriage feed rack bar arranged at the rear of the carriage and secured to the flattened rear side of a rod (1 which is fixed at its ends in any suitable manner til the rear ends of carriage release levers R pivoted between their ends on studs 1 projecting outwardly from the end plates of the carriage. The rack bar is normally-held in contact with the escapement wheel (not shown) by springs r coiled about the pivot studs for the levers. This is an ordinary arrangement of the levers, but to make the construction more compact and convenient, and to avoid the projecting parts, the front ends of the carriage release levers project into slots 8 in therear sides of I the pivot shafts of the line space levers, see

Fig. 7, and engage in slots 25 in pushrods or stems T arranged to slide vertically in the shafts of the line space levers, which for this purpose are made hollow. The rods T are provided at their upper ends with push buttons which occupy counter-bores in the hubs of the line space levers'and project above the levers. The engagement of the ends of the levers in the slots inthe push rods prevents the detachment of the latter from the line space, levers. The release bar is operated to release the carriage from its escapement, by

depressingeither of'the push buttons, and

the push buttons are arranged in convenient positions for use. The front ends of the release levers are out of the way. and guarded and less room is taken up than if the levers were made with the usual flattened operating ends or finger pieces.

I claim as my invention:'

1. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, a pair of line space levers, and mechanism actuated by both of said levers for rotating the platen, one of said levers being movable independently of the other for actuating said mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space levers arranged adjacent to the opposite ends .of the carriage and having upright pivots,

mechanism between one of said levers and the platen for rotating the platen, and means nation of a carriage, a platen, a pair of line space levers arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of the carriage, said levers being oi' different length and interchangeable, and

mechanism actuated-by said levers for rotating the platen, substantially as set forth.

tion and to actuate said brake by a move-- ment of the lever in another direction, substantially asset forth.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, linc space lever and mechanism for rotating the platen,

a friction brake for holding the platen said detent and apply said brake, SllbStttlbagainst rotation, and means actuated by' said lever for operating said line s ace mech anism and said brake, said lever eing movable to apply the brake independently of said line space mechanism, substantially as set forth.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space mechanism for the platen, a detent for the platen, a line space lever, and meats aotu ated by a movement of said lever in onedirection to actuate said line s ace mechanism and by a movement of the ever in another direction to release said detent, substantially as set forth.

7.' In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a plat-en, lino space i mechanism for rotating the platen, a detent for the platen, a friction brake for the platen, and a line space lever movable to actuate said line space mechanism andalso movable to release said detent and apply said brake, substantially as set forth.

8. In a typewriting'machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space mechanism for rotating the platen, a detent for the platen, a friction brake for the platen, and a line space lever movable in one direction toactuate said line space mechanism and-fmovable-in another directiomto release tially as set forth.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space mechanism for rotating the platen, a detent for the platen, a friction brake for the platen, and alme spacelever movable both to actuate the line space mechanism and also to release said detent and apply said brake and to release said brake and permit thcreturn,

of said detent to operative position, substantially as set forth.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space mechanism for rotating the platen, a brake for the platen, a line space lever movable in one direction to actuate said hnespace mechanism and in another direction to apply 'saidbrakmand a spring for returning said lever to a normal intermediate position,- substantially as set forth.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, a friction brake, a spring securcd to the carriage, said 'br'ake being movably supported by said 8 ring and normally held thcrcby in a position to permit the free rotation of the platen,

gagement with the platen and straining said spring, substantially as set forth.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, a friction brake, a spring secured to the carriage and for swinging said brake on its pivot into contact with the platen and for flexing said spring, substantially as set forth.

1?. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, a linc space lever for rotating the platen having an upright pivot, and a bent sheet metal-bearing bracket for said lever provided uith a part secured to the carriage and with a pair of projecting spaced bearing lugs for said lcvcr pivot, substantially as set forth.

14. In a typewrit-ing machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space bmechanism for the platen including an-opi crating lever, releasing means for the cart riage including a lever, and a push button 1 S11 ported by said line space lever and movab e thereon for actuating said release lover, I substantially as set forth.

15. In atypcwritlngmachine, the combig 16. In a typcwriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, a line space leve for rotating the platen, a lcvcr [or relleasrng the carriage, said line space lever having a hollow pivot, a push rod movable in said pivot and having a push button projecting beyond said line space lever, said push rod being connected to said carriage release lever, substantially as set forth.

17. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen with journals, a ratchet wheel, awl and operating means for. turning the p atcn, a bearing sleeve for one of the platen journals rotatably adjustable on the carriage, and a pawl lifter secured to said bearing sleeve, substantially as set forth.

18. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen with journals, a ratchet wheel, )awl and operating means for turning the piaternu bearing sleeve for one of the platen journals rotatably adjustand means for moving said brake into enon which said brake is pivoted, and means l nation of a carriage, a platen, a line space able on the carriage, a pawl lifter secured to said bearing sleeve, and a spring arm on said bearing sleeve for securing it indifferent positions, substantially as set forth.

. 19. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen with journals, a ratchet wheel, pawl and operating means for turning the platen, a bearing sleeve for one of the platen journals rotatably adjustable on the carriage, and a awl lifter and adjusting arm secured to sait bearing sleeve between the end of the platen and the end of the carriage, substantially as set forth.

20. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, a ratchet wheel and pawl therefor located between the end of the platen and the end of the carriage, a pawl lifter, and an adjusting device therefor pivoted between the end of the platen and the end of the carriage and extending through the end of the carriage with its free end outside of the carriage, substantially as set forth.

'21. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen with journals, a

a ratchet wheel, pawl and operating means for turning the platen, a bearing sleeve for one of the platen journals rotatably adjustable on the carriage, a pawl lifter secured to said bearing sleeve,- and a spring arm onsa'id bearin sleeve having a snap engagement with the carriage and provided with a push button for releasing the spring from the carriage and 'd us'n said bearlng sleeve, substantiall; ls'se Eorth.

-' 22. In a typewriting machine,'the combination of a carriage, a platen removably journaled therein, line space mechanism at one end of. the platen, and a guard plate which is movably mounted on the adjacent end ofthe carriage over the platen journal and extends in a direction to guard said line space mechanism, said guard plate having a part for holding the platen from removal nation of a carriage, a platen, line spacing mechanism arranged between oiie end of the platen and the adjacent end of the carriage, and a guard plate movably' mounted on said end of the carriage substantially parallel therewith and having a portion offset in- Wardly to overhang said line spacing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

24. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage having upright end plates, of a platen, line'space mechanism at one end of the platen, a sheet metal guard plate for said line space mechanism pivoted at one end to one side of the end plate adjacent to saidline space mechanism and extending beside said end plate in a position to guard said line space mechanism, the other end 01 said guard plate having a releasable engagement with said end plate, substantially as set forth.

25. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space mechanisrnat one end of the platen including a toothed wheel, a guard plate for said line space mechanism pivoted to the carriage, and a detent for said toothed wheel secured to said guard plate, substantially as set forth.

26,.- In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, line space mechanism at one end of the platen, aline s ace adjusting device, and a guard plate for t e line space mechanism-secured to the carriage and havmgstops for said line space adustlng device, substaptiallyas set forth.

Witness my hand, this 14th day of May,

EMMIT G, LATTA.

Witnesses FRANK E. REID, OTTO A. SOHILLY. 

